Stronger branding will enhance the Netherlands’ competitive strength. In order to position the Netherlands as an innovative, entrepreneurial and appealing knowledge country, the IP initiated the 'Paint the World Orange Contest' in collaboration with the Minister of Economic Affairs. This was a competition which was organised through a European invitation to tender from the Dutch government. The aim of PTWO was to encourage the development of innovative marketing concepts, 'tools' and ideas aimed at positioning the Netherlands as a global hub for knowledge-intensive companies and talents that collaborate internationally, with an impact which greatly exceeds its size. The selected concept would be implemented within the government’s Holland Brand Strategy.

The 'Paint the World Orange Contest' started with a public invitation to participate. 163 entrants responded to this. A professional jury made up of specialists from the fields of marketing, communications and design carefully assessed the entries and announced the top five on 3 December. These five finalists were given 10,000 euro in order to develop their ideas further.

The developed ideas were again assessed by the jury. The jury, chaired by Marcel Wanders, concluded that the entries contain useful elements which can be used in the standard branding strategy, but that they did not live up to high ambitions and expectations of the jury, the IP and the Ministry as contained in the assessment criteria for the tendering competition. It was therefore not possible to choose a winner, so that the European tendering process was officially terminated. The Innovation Platform and the Ministry of Economic Affairs are currently discussing possible follow-up activities in the context of 'Paint the World Orange'.